Clamp for securing shuttering panels

ABSTRACT

The clamp comprises two substantially L-shaped members, arranged opposite each other, articulated on an intermediate support on which rest the lateral profile sections of the frames of the panels to be clamped, one of the arms of each of the L-shaped members having an end profile adapted for its coupling to the profile sections to be clamped, while the other arm of each of said L-shaped members receives a displacement action in order to effect its rotation from a mechanism incorporated in the intermediate support, intended to effect the opening and closing of the L-shaped members of the clamp.

The present invention is intended to disclose a clamp for securingshuttering panels which has substantial characteristics of novelty andinventive step.

As is known, in order to produce shuttering surfaces for walls it isnecessary to place shuttering panels for walls one beside the other,securing them to one another by means of clamps of various types.

Clamps are known which are of the type that use wedges which are fittedby pressure, and other types of clamps in which, for the arrangement ofinclined planes, there are members which produce a compressing actionbetween the adjacent members of the frames of two adjacent shutteringpanels.

The present invention is intended to disclose a clamp for securingshuttering panels for walls which is functionally highly efficient andsimply constructed, simultaneously obtaining a simple, solid andeconomic construction, and also being very effective in its application.

Basically, the clamp of the present invention consists fundamentally oftwo parts forming the securing arms of the clamp which are identical toeach other, generally L-shaped, an intermediate support and rotationmember and a threaded tensioning rod with which is associated aquick-fix butterfly nut, or alternatively a transverse displacementwedge.

All the parts, except for the threaded rod and the rotation pivots, areproduced by pressing and cutting methods, so that great manufacturingeconomy is obtained.

The two parts forming the arms of the clamp are generally L-shaped,articulated with each other by the ends of the horizontal arms androtatable about respective points close to the vertices of the L-shapeon pivots which pass through an intermediate support member, preferablytubular. The opening and closing of the arms of the L-shaped members isachieved by the screwing or unscrewing of a wing nut coupled on thethreaded rod, or by the introduction of a transverse wedge.

The L-shaped parts have double arms, defining an intermediate space forreceiving the intermediate articulation support.

For greater understanding thereof, some drawings of a preferredembodiment of the present invention are appended by way of non-limitingexample.

FIG. 1 shows a view in front elevation of a clamp fitted on two profilesections of respective adjacent shuttering panels, with section of saidprofiles.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 in which can be seen a completesection of the members forming the clamp.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively a view in elevation from one end and aview in front elevation of a clamp according to the invention.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the clamp.

FIG. 6 shows a view of the threaded rod and head carrying the transversepivot pin.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show respective details of a second embodiment of theclamp with actuating wedge.

As can be seen in the drawings, the clamp of the present inventioncomprises two approximately L-shaped members 1 and 2, each of which haspairs of active arms, respectively 3 and 4, carrying the protuberances 5and 6 intended to fit into the recesses 7 and 8 of the profile sections,customarily tubular, which form the frames for respective adjacentshuttering panels 9 and 10 which are to be joined by means of the clamp.The double arm structure on each member of the L-shape can be seen moreeasily in FIGS. 3 and 5.

In a first embodiment, both members 1 and 2 have respective joining arms11 and 12 articulated with one another by means of a transverse pin 13and articulated by means of pins 14 and 15 with an intermediate supportmember of preferably tubular structure 16, FIG. 2, contained within thespace defined by the double parallel arms of the L-shaped members.

The rotation of the members 1 and 2 on the transverse pins 14 and 15makes it possible to tighten and release the clamp, thereby securing theprofile sections 9 and 10 of the shuttering panels or releasing same fortheir dismantling.

The displacement of the members 1 and 2 of the clamp is effected bymeans of the actuation of a threaded rod 17 on which acts a quick-actionbutterfly nut 18. The threaded rod 17 surrounds with its end or head 19the pivot pin 13 which is also articulated on the intermediate tubularmember 16.

The openings 20 and 21 of the intermediate support 16 on which the pins14 and 15 are articulated are slightly elongated, in order to permit notonly the rotation of the clamp members 1 and 2, but also thesatisfactory alignment of the points of attack of the protuberances 5and 6 with respect to said pivot pins, thus avoiding offset stresses.

Likewise, the opening of the intermediate support 16 in which the pin 13is articulated and which is designated by the number 22 in FIG. 4, islikewise elongated vertically in order to permit slight displacement andthe action of compression of the rod 17.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, the rod 17 has its end head 19 equipped withan opening for the pin 13 and respective lateral expansionssubstantially T-shaped in cross-section 23 and 24.

By means of the explained constitution of the clamp of the presentinvention, the result obtained is that the clamp is produced simply bythree basic members, that is, the L-shaped double arms 1 and 2 and theinner tubular support member 16, being complemented simply by thethreaded rod 17 and the butterfly nut 18. The transverse pivot pins 13,14 and 15 are clinched for the purpose of greater simplicity, providinga clamp which requires a minimum number of parts for its operation andwhich does not require any welding of parts such as is customary atpresent. This latter characteristic, besides simplifying and reducingthe cost of the manufacture of the clamp, permits the manufacture ofsame by means of sheet-metal members which may previously have beenprovided with an anti-corrosion surface treatment, since, not having hadany welding work, it does not subsequently require specificanti-corrosion treatment.

In addition, the members 1 and 2 are identical and are simply displacedon their articulation, which means no functional inconvenience. For thisthe end regions of the arms 11 and 12 are overlapped as can be seen inFIG. 5, in which it can be seen that one of the arms, for example thearm 12, has a slight end pressing 25 so as to overlap with thecoincident end of the other articulated arm 11.

In the variant shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the L-shaped members 26 and 27have transverse openings for respective pivot pins 28 and 29, therebeing no elongated holes. The ends of the arms 30 and 31 are simplyoverlapped and the actuation thereof in order to effect the rotation ofsaid arms 26 and 27 and, therefore, the actuation of the clamp, iscarried out by means of a transverse wedge 32 which acts by its lowerinclined plane 33 on the upper edges of said arms 30 and 31, effectingtheir vertical displacement, the result of which is the rotation of themembers 26 and 27 respectively on the pins 28 and 29.

In order to prevent the wedge 32 from coming out, it may have a stop ofsome type on its end 34, produced after its introduction into the clamp.

1. A clamp comprising two substantially L-shaped members, arrangedopposite each other, articulated on an intermediate support on whichrest the lateral profile sections of the frames of the panels to beclamped, one of the arms of each of the L-shaped members having an endprofile adapted for its coupling to the profile sections to be clamped,while the other arm of each of said L-shaped members receives adisplacement action in order to effect its rotation from a mechanismincorporated in the intermediate support, intended to effect the openingand closing of the L-shaped members of the clamp, which movesimultaneously.
 2. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein theintermediate support receiving the profile sections to be clamped by theclamp is constituted by a tubular member with the ends bevel-cut.
 3. Theclamp according to claim 1, wherein each of the L-shaped members of theclamp is double, with two pairs of arms parallel to one another,equipped with reinforcing ribs, ending in protuberances for coupling tothe lateral profile sections of the shuttering panels to be clamped andthe other two arms respectively surrounding the sides of theintermediate support, and the two pairs of arms communicating byrespective joining bridges which surround the ends of the intermediatesupport of the clamp.
 4. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein theintermediate support is traversed by respective elongated openings forreceiving respective pivot pins for articulating each of the L-shapedmembers of the clamp.
 5. The clamp according to claim 1, wherein theL-shaped members are identical to one another and are each produced inone piece from sheet metal by cutting and pressing.
 6. The clampaccording to claim 1, wherein the ends of both L-shaped members whichreceive the displacement action in order to effect their rotation, aresuperposed by means of complementary pressings.
 7. The clamp accordingto claim 1, wherein the actuation of the L-shaped members of the clampis effected by means of the axial displacement of a threaded rod thehead of which is traversed by a pin for a second articulation of bothL-shaped members with each other, the second pin of which also traversesthe intermediate support of the clamp through an elongated openingparallel with the axis of the threaded rod.
 8. The clamp according toclaim 7, wherein the threaded rod has coupled on it a wing nut foradjusting its axial position by abutment on the intermediate support. 9.The clamp according to claim 1, wherein the actuation in rotation of theL-shaped members of the clamp is effected by means of a transverse wedgewhich slides in a seat of the intermediate support of the clamp, saidwedge acting on adjacent straight sides of the L-shaped members of theclamp, in order to effect the rotation of these latter on respectivesingle pivot pins which are received in respective aligned circularopenings of the L-shaped members and of the intermediate support. 10.The clamp according to claim 9, wherein the L-shaped members have ontheir ends articulated with each other pressings which permit theoverlapping of the adjacent arms of one and the other of said L-shapedmembers.